The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-10-13
The Congressional Convention of
Women Suffrsgists
Opened at the First Congregational
Church in This City,
And Attended by a Large and En-
thusiastic Audiencsa
Susan B. Anthony, Rachel Foster and
Mrs Johns Among the Speakers.

overlooking to listen to the eminent
speakers on the equal suffrage ques-
tiOn. The pulpit had been tastefully
decorated with flowers and plants and
the room looked bright and fresh.
AT about eight O'Clock the visiting
speakers, accompanied by Mrs. G. N /.
Sterry, Mrs. DIR. Jackson and Mrs. M.
j. Watson, of this city, fled in and
took their places ON the stand.
After an overture by Mrs. w. G.
Simpson the meeting was called to
order by Mrs. DIR. Jackson who, in a
neat speech, referring to the work in
this line by Mrs. Sterry's mother TWEEN
ty years ago, introduced Mrs. Sterry,
who made the address of welcome.
Her manner was pleasant and easy and
the address was full of wit, mixed with
q sprinkling of sarcasm.
Mrs. Johns, of Salina, was then in
PRODUCED and delivered the response in
a manner pleasing to her hearers. AT
the conclusion Of her address she in
troduced Miss Rachael Foster, of Phil
adelphia, corresponding secretary of
the national association who spoke as
follows:
Enlarge thy habitations, lengthen
thy cords and strengthen thy stakes"
So spoke Isaiah to the Jewish people
dwelling in tents in days long past.
So speaks humanity to-day to the
women of all nations.
Never before have women over the
entire world expressed such deep and
active interest in the welfare OF their
sex. Never have they shown such an
almost universal desire to learn more
of their foreign co-workers. Never
have they watched so closely for words
of goOd-cheer and news of advance
ment, and never has q step taken in
the direction Of placing woman upon
the plane of social and political equali-
ty with man counted for so much and
been heralded 80 far and wide as to-
. day.
Perhaps some of us who are working
in this line OF reform may not realize
how swiftly we are advancing toward
the goal OF our ambition. In reality,
If we would cease our labOrs occasion
ally to look beyond our immediate sur
roundings, we should find ourselves
borne along by q strength far greater
than our own toward q result beyond
our present comprehension. Not that
undervalue for one moment the work
Of a reform like this or hold anything
but holy the self-sacrificing lives of its
pioneers. But it is grand to be work
ing with the great power of evolution,
not making a puny and unavailing
struggle against the stream, as some OF
the remOnstrantS, following the eX-
ample of their own fathers position
on the slavery question, are fond of do
ing. During several years residence
abroad, made a point of meeting as
often as possible the prominent women
Of various European countries-and
was always surprised at the attitude
of expectancy with which they looked
toward America as their leader in all
matters pertaining to the rights of
women.
They are in many cases now passing
through the stages of the battle which
American women fought out twenty
years ago. In a new and for Italy
very advanced publication, the review
of the interests of women, issued in
Rome, the editor very gravely argues
against having the daughters in fam
lilies which are entirely dependent upon
the fathers earnings brought up not to
work outside the home, and the very
gravity of the argument in an article
entitled "Prejudices" shows that the
foe she assails is in Italy no myth.
They are still at the enemy's Outposts
while in America the attack is now
climbing the foothills of equality OF
opportunity in education, trades and
professions, while here we are toiling
breathlessly up the last sleeps to the
height of political equality. We have
already realized what they have yet To
learn, that until all is won nothing is
sure.
One pastor once in little address Il
the Sunday school used the following
illustrations of the development of Z
child.
First its world is in it.
mothers arms, her eyes it star!
and away from her it is among stran
gers, and has certain feeling o.
loneliness. a little older, and it's TIM
boundaries of affection enlarge to re
ceive its father and brothers and sis
tiers; it feels itself part of the house
hold, where 1t Is at home and which i
learns to know and love.
Later, IL takes its position in the da,
school, and the Sunday school. Now
fit is shown among strangers and.meet
one OF its schOOlmates it feels at ono
a drawing toward him and say
happily, even of one with whom it ma
not be particularly Intimate, all, there
somebody knowl
Still later, the grown man or woman
comes to feel sense of oneness witt
the members of his or her church, o
the same trade or profession, and t
say again as the child said, under lik
circumstances of separation from
home, 'ah, there's some one knowl'
And when we reach the time when w
90 far away from home we realize
sense of pleasure in grasping the han,
of some one even from the same state
And when we cross the seas and flint
ourselves surrounded by the chatte
of unknown tongues, every one fror
the United States of America, seem
almost like a neighbor from Sout
America. AS an enthusiastic lad
meeting party of Americans in the raj
road cars in Germany claims them wit
a smile of delight as fellow country
men, saying, II too, am an American
am from Chill, in other words, forI
the cradle to the grave we are cor
stantly developing into broader
more comprehensive citizenship-an
If we could travel away froI
our little earth, and, visitin
some other OF the millions c
whirling worlds, were to meet there a
inhabitant of our planet. with what
sense, almost of kindship, would "
recognize the brotherhood of all IN
mainly and grasp his hand, delighte
to meet some one from home"
From this evolution women hay
been, so far as it lay in the power of Il
0tCAdBC u1hus ouuJ OuI. through the
relations to men they have been mao
to feel suspicious of other women.
hold themselves aloof, and have bee
told that woman's sphere was in n
home, where her proper occupation
would be found.
How quickly would an outcry
raised were women to presume to hi
tate to men what their proper sDhe
and occupation are. Yet TO such
pitiable state has the mental subiecti,
of woman reduced her that even 4
most independent of us are ant.
some time in our lives, to feel a thr
of fear when suddenly or unexDected
confronted with that masculine In
aboo, the accusation of being tout
our sphere"
Shall the man decide upon the Inn
diaries OF the wOman's sphereY N;
verily-he possesses no rules and Co
passes, either physical, men
or spiritual, which enables h
to DO so advantageously eitl
to woman or to humanity. Shall
hon measure the possibilities of
EtNnt Nnyl.x - -sSn